Great Canadian Skyline Thread II

[SkahHigh]

montréal au coucher du soleil by Laurent Leduc, sur Flickr

[Martin Mtl]

Nightscape by https://www.flickr.com/photos/kkygeek/
on flickr

[Coldrsx]

Montreal has a je ne sais quoi that no other city in Canada has.

[craner]

Yeah agreed, the bridges help take it to another level. I can’t really put my finger on what else but it’s definitely there.

[shappy]

I think it has a sophisticated international flair that isn't present in other Canadian cities. Toronto is obviously an international city as well but it doesn't have that same sophistication. Also, I would think Montreal's prominence and influence historically in NA plays a part too.

[Brizzy82]

Planet Winnipeg


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[suburbanite]

It has the bulk and heft of a skyline still dominated by office towers that are well distributed. It also has a depth that you can only get from layers of styles building upon each other from one generation to the next.

[Kilgore Trout]

Montreal's skyline does have a certain mystique. I think it comes down to the diversity. It's not just office towers or condos, you also have the bridges, industrial landmarks like the silo or Farine Five Roses mill, quirky things like La Ronde and the Biosphere, historic landmarks like the Bonsecours Market and St. Joseph's Oratory, which is always a surprise when you spot it. There are a few star-quality towers like the Tour de la Bourse, PVM and 1000 de la Gauchetière which add definition to the skyline. Then there's the geography: all these layers build up gradually to Mount Royal.

It's not a tall skyline (and Mount Royal is not a particularly tall mountain) but the layers give it more heft than it would otherwise have. The impact of seeing the skyline when you cross over the Champlain Bridge and then drive towards downtown on the Bonaventure is pretty spectacular. I remember taking the long way back from NYC via western Mass and Vermont, and after two days of driving through small cities and countryside, Montreal looked positively epic when I crossed over the river. I had the good fortune of getting back at sunset, just as some fog was clearing, and it had real Gotham vibes.

It's the same kind of "wow" feeling I get when I see Toronto's skyline from the DVP, or when New York suddenly emerges as you're heading through the Palisades. I don't get that feeling from Calgary, even though its skyline is taller and chunkier than Montreal, or Boston, which lacks a certain oomph despite some beautiful natural surroundings.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Montreal's skyline does have a certain mystique. I think it comes down to the diversity: it's not just office towers or condos, you also have the bridges, industrial landmarks like the silo or Farine Five Roses mill, quirky things like La Ronde and the Biosphere, historic landmarks like the Bonsecours Market and St. Joseph's Oratory, which is always a surprise when you spot it. Then there's the geography: all these layers build up gradually to Mount Royal.

It's not a tall skyline (and Mount Royal is not a particularly tall mountain) but the layers give it more heft than it would otherwise have. The impact of seeing the skyline when you cross over the Champlain Bridge and then drive towards downtown on the Bonaventure is pretty spectacular. I remember taking the long way back from NYC via western Mass and Vermont, and after two days of driving through small cities and countryside, Montreal looked positively epic when I crossed over the river. I had the good fortune of getting back at sunset, just as some fog was clearing, and it had real Gotham vibes.

It's the same kind of "wow" feeling I get when I see Toronto's skyline from the DVP, or when New York suddenly emerges as you're heading through the Palisades. I don't get that feeling from Calgary, even though its skyline is taller and chunkier than Montreal, or Boston, which lacks a certain oomph despite some beautiful natural surroundings.

One pretty cool natural feature is also the fact that Montreal is built on an archipelago of about 200 islands (that looks even more impressive when you look at a map). I dont remember any other city in NA like that. Closest that comes in mind is NYC.

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Montreal's skyline does have a certain mystique. I think it comes down to the diversity. It's not just office towers or condos, you also have the bridges, industrial landmarks like the silo or Farine Five Roses mill, quirky things like La Ronde and the Biosphere, historic landmarks like the Bonsecours Market and St. Joseph's Oratory, which is always a surprise when you spot it. There are a few star-quality towers like the Tour de la Bourse, PVM and 1000 de la Gauchetière which add definition to the skyline. Then there's the geography: all these layers build up gradually to Mount Royal.

It's not a tall skyline (and Mount Royal is not a particularly tall mountain) but the layers give it more heft than it would otherwise have. The impact of seeing the skyline when you cross over the Champlain Bridge and then drive towards downtown on the Bonaventure is pretty spectacular. I remember taking the long way back from NYC via western Mass and Vermont, and after two days of driving through small cities and countryside, Montreal looked positively epic when I crossed over the river. I had the good fortune of getting back at sunset, just as some fog was clearing, and it had real Gotham vibes.

It's the same kind of "wow" feeling I get when I see Toronto's skyline from the DVP, or when New York suddenly emerges as you're heading through the Palisades. I don't get that feeling from Calgary, even though its skyline is taller and chunkier than Montreal, or Boston, which lacks a certain oomph despite some beautiful natural surroundings.

Coming into Montreal after a stay in Vermont is indeed like coming into a true metropolis with layers upon layers on landmarks from different era and of different styles. I would add that it’s equaly impressive from the Jacques-Cartier bridge, with La Ronde as an hors d’oeuvre, the biosphere emerging from the forest of St-Helen island, and then the skyline building up towards Mount Royal. It never fails to give me delicious frissons. With the bunch a new skyscrapers coming up, it will be even more epic.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

By SurrealPlaces on SRC...

One Palliser far exceeded my expectations. The corner LED lighting looks great too. I saw it last night and it was teal. Nice contrast to all the blue in other buildings. I had no idea it was even going to have lighting.

Can you imagine if it was just that generic blue glass box it was originally planned to be along with the Calgary tower balls.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

montréal au coucher du soleil by Laurent Leduc, sur Flickr

The Jacques Cartier bridge is the nicest feature of any Montreal skyline shot imo.

[someone123]

A few close-up downtown Halifax shots.







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[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Montreal's skyline does have a certain mystique. I think it comes down to the diversity. It's not just office towers or condos, you also have the bridges, industrial landmarks like the silo or Farine Five Roses mill, quirky things like La Ronde and the Biosphere, historic landmarks like the Bonsecours Market and St. Joseph's Oratory, which is always a surprise when you spot it. There are a few star-quality towers like the Tour de la Bourse, PVM and 1000 de la Gauchetière which add definition to the skyline. Then there's the geography: all these layers build up gradually to Mount Royal.

It's not a tall skyline (and Mount Royal is not a particularly tall mountain) but the layers give it more heft than it would otherwise have. The impact of seeing the skyline when you cross over the Champlain Bridge and then drive towards downtown on the Bonaventure is pretty spectacular. I remember taking the long way back from NYC via western Mass and Vermont, and after two days of driving through small cities and countryside, Montreal looked positively epic when I crossed over the river. I had the good fortune of getting back at sunset, just as some fog was clearing, and it had real Gotham vibes.

It's the same kind of "wow" feeling I get when I see Toronto's skyline from the DVP, or when New York suddenly emerges as you're heading through the Palisades. I don't get that feeling from Calgary, even though its skyline is taller and chunkier than Montreal, or Boston, which lacks a certain oomph despite some beautiful natural surroundings.

well put. I agree completely. Yes, that feeling of oomph you get when New York suddenly appears (so strange how the gigantic city is virtually invisible until you are almost upon it from most approaches from the North/West). Of course Toronto and the DVP/Gardiner causes the heart to speed up. And yeah, Montreal from the VME or the Pont Champlain generates a similar flutter.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

The Jacques Cartier bridge is the nicest feature of any Montreal skyline shot imo.

I don't think even Clockzilla could slay the J-C bridge. Just the most bad-assed bridge in Canada.

[megadude]

As a kid, I would be impressed by any skyline as we approached. But as an adult, and maybe this is because I'm not a skyline hobbyist like most people here, very few approaches have given me that feeling you guys describe.

As for TO, I guess that's because I became too accustomed to it, though coming down the DVP, which I probably only do once every few years, does make for a cool experience. For Montreal, I've been maybe 14 times or so, starting as a kid, so maybe just got too used to it.

Only five times I'd say, as an adult, I approached a skyline and was like, oh that's cool.

NYC, approaching on the I-95 from Philly at about 11pm. I agree that it's a little surprising that you don't see it from farther away, but when I did finally see it, I was thinking, there she is, that beast of a city. It's not like it visually struck me, it's just knowing what NYC is and that I was finally within spitting distance. I had been before, but approached from Englewood, NJ to the NW of Manhattan. Not a big deal.

Miami coming from Key Biscayne on the causeway at night. Not an impressive skyline of course. But makes for nice viewing at night time being lit up with the ocean in between.

Pittsburgh is the grand daddy of them all as far as I'm concerned because coming from the airport, you see nothing, drive through the tunnel, you start to see daylight at end of the tunnel, get to the end and BOOM, there's the city, coming out of nowhere.

Hamilton coming down from the mountain on the 403 at night when I was 20 years old 20 years ago. Really dark, turn the corner, and LIGHTS! Not spectacular, it was just the quick transition from nothing to something.

Niagara Falls coming from I can't remember if it's the QEW or 420. This is only because you're in a small city where you're seeing houses and plazas and some trees from the highway but suddenly you see a tower (Skylon) and a handful of tall hotels. Disproportionate for the area but you realize it's for tourism. That and because I get slightly excited knowing that I'm about to have fun, either wholesome family fun or vice filled adult fun. I would imagine Vegas would do the same for me.

Chicago did nothing for me and unlike most people, I actually don't care much for Chicago. That was before I went and even after spending a couple days there.

Never been to Van or anywhere out west so don't know how I'd feel.

[Denscity]

Heading for downtown Vancouver from the south over one of the bridges with the skyline in front of the mountains is pretty spectacular. Especially I'd the mountains have snow on top or at night with the 3 ski hills lit up.
There are currently at least 2 car commercials (Nissan and Mazda) on one of the bridges with the skyline and mountains in the background.

[NetMapel]

City of Burnaby with a view of the lake and ducks!

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I don't think even Clockzilla could slay the J-C bridge. Just the most bad-assed bridge in Canada.

Indeed!

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by megadude

Chicago did nothing for me and unlike most people, I actually don't care much for Chicago. That was before I went and even after spending a couple days there.

Interesting. Chicago sharpened a rough-hewn skyscraper and urbanity fetish in me at the age of 18 when I drove through on the I-90 on the way to Winnipeg for the first time. The way the suburban bungalows gradually gave way to tenements was thrilling enough, but driving through the belly of the high rise beast was practically orgasmic. During my years in Winnipeg I drove through Chicago maybe ten times or so, back and forth on trips to Hamilton where I'm from, and it was never less than a thrill.